Afghan forces foil organised attack on Kabul: officials

Afghan and NATO forces have foiled a series of suicide attacks on Kabul planned for Sunday after they captured five insurgents allegedly linked to militants in Pakistan, officials say.

The group was "finalizing plans for an attack in the capital" and a large cache of explosives, suicide vest parts, weapons and ammunition were seized in the overnight operation, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said on Sunday.

The "sophisticated suicide attacks" would have targeted the Afghan parliament and the residence of second vice president Mohammad Karim Khalili, Afghanistan's intelligence agency said.

One of the five was a Pakistani national and the group was in possession of Afghan army uniforms and Pakistani identity documents, currency and mobile phone numbers, the National Directorate for Security said.

"The evidence indicates they had connections with the terrorists beyond the border with Pakistan," the agency said.

Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of harbouring Taliban Islamist insurgents fighting to overthrow the Western-backed government of president Hamid Karzai.

Earlier this month, Afghan officials said five insurgents planning a major attack on an area of Kabul home to Western embassies were killed in a pre-dawn gun battle in the capital.